Naruto's Pain
by Chocolatekat
Summary: Naruto is in pain and Gaara may be the only who can help. I know, bad summary, but please read.


**I never thought a day would come when I would find myself writing a Naruto fanfic. But here it is. I do not own any characters or plot line and am getting no money from making this. My awesome friend beta-ed for me so hopefully everything good. Thank you for being interested in my story. Please review. :)**

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Naruto was fighting Orochimaru again, but this time was different. Naruto wanted to keep his human form and defeat him. Orochimaru had other plans. He did not care if Naruto could fight him or not, he wanted to see the power of the nine tailed fox and to do that he needed to make Naruto mad.

For the past few minutes he had been throwing comments around about Sasuke with no success. It would seem Naruto and his friend had been working on their self control. Friends, there is an idea.

Sweaty from the battle Orochimaru and Naruto attacked and separated over and over again. "Where are those friends now, Naruto? Did they figure out you really are as worthless as they always thought?"

"You know nothing of friendship!" Naruto growled, "I wouldn't expect you to understand!"

"Oh I understand. They hate you. Everyone does. And why wouldn't they? You have an uncontrollable monster inside of you, waiting to destroy them. Sure when you were young they learned to like you, you attracted people with your jokes and misbehavior. But now? The seal is leaking and they are running out of ways to stop you. Next time they might not be able to."

Naruto was losing control. How dare this man talk about his friends this way? Yet a part of him agreed. He saw the growing fear and concern in people's eyes. Those same eyes had stared at him all of his childhood. His jokes were not working anymore; he could not fool them into liking him. When he played his pranks they would just shake their heads and walk away.

Naruto shook his head vigorously. "You're lying! You don't know what you're talking about!" Naruto was very well practiced at denial. His friends would come around. Orochimaru laughed, sensing weakness.

"Even I can tell you don't believe what you just said! Face it; you are nothing but a tool to them. A dangerous weapon that they are losing control over. It isn't as though you have been any real help to them so far. No one wants you."

And then Naruto lost control. Four tails of red bubbling chakra sprang from his body. Naruto's consciousness faded as Kurama took over to get rid of creature causing its host so much pain.

Kurama finishes the fight quickly, leaving Orochimaru no choice but to flee using the last of his chakra. Kurama did not feel like following him. Turning to look at Naruto's team, he saw them rushing around trying to find some way to protect themselves and suppress the nine-tailed fox. Kurama huffed, breathing in deeply he let out a shock wave throwing over everything in a 5 mile radius. Just a little payback. Being suppressed was not a painless experience.

With that Kurama jumped into the trees, disappearing.

Sakura got back on her feet first. The forest around them had been flattened. She hurried around and found that Kakashi, Izumo, and Gai were fine, just a few scrapes and bruises from being blasted. They needed to find Naruto and hopefully by the time they did he would be back to normal. With Kurama's chakra leaking out of him the council had already discussed what they would need to do if Naruto lost all control. She hoped it never came to that. She preferred Naruto alive.

All day no one found any trace of Naruto or Kurama. Kakashi said to inform Gaara and maybe he may have some insight on where Kurama may have gone.

Gaara was filled in on what happened and wasted no time heading out to look for his friend. Naruto was the first and as far as Gaara cared only friend he had. Gaara had similar experiences growing up with the one-tailed beast inside of him. He had grown cold, hiding behind his sand, shielding himself from the harshness of the world. Long ago he resigned himself to being alone forever, and then one day Naruto walked up and touched him like the wall didn't exist. Gaara could never repay Naruto for bringing him out of the cold, for not judging him for things he'd never done. Naruto understood Gaara's pain and did not ignore him.

Gaara's search led to a cave. Kurama was inside, wrapped tightly around himself, and tails behaving like a bed and shelter. Not wanting to scare Kurama, Gaara walked closer slowly and stopped a few feet away, waiting for him to respond to his presence.

Kurama lifted his head, looking at the intruder on his peaceful nap. If not for the fact that he'd sensed Gaara did not want to harm him, Gaara wouldn't have made it one foot into the cave. As it was they were near the back, out of view of the entrance. Kurama's red chakra lit the cave with an eerie glow.

"Kurama, I want to talk with Naruto." The red beast, one tail wrapped protectively around him, stared at the sand man.

"Naruto is not in right now." Kurama tips his head to the side. "Where is my brother who resided in you?" Gaara, already tense about approaching Kurama straightens his shoulders. "He was taken from me."

"But if Shukaku was taken from you, you would be dead. I have seen man suffer at the power of me and my siblings. We have power beyond what any man could control for long. So much so that our bodies grew to contain that power. You had my one tailed brother, weakest but still strong. We used to destroy our host when we were first captured in spirit form, hating you humans who try to possess us. But after time even humans started to hate those of their own that were forced to hold our power. We watched humans destroy and hate each other for things forced upon them at birth. So now we protect our hosts as much as we can from the other humans, despite knowing our presence in their bodies will eventually kill them."

Gaara wondered why Kurama was telling him this, though it was interesting seeing it from the beast's point of view. He had always been too wrapped up in his own pain to think of Shukaku, but now he could see the times that the one-tailed beast had protected him.

"I've heard about my siblings being stolen and captured in stone creatures, killing the hosts. I fear for what may happen to us and to those already trapped in such a place. If that is what happened you should be dead, yet you stand before me whole and worried about your mortal friend."

Feeling like it was his turn to talk Gaara took a deep breath to steady his voice, "I was dead. Having Shukaku ripped from me was the most pain I can recall ever feeling. An elder of my village gave her life to bring me back with help from Naruto. While I am glad to be alive it feels as if there is a hole in me. Since losing my partner beast I have not been the same. I miss him despite all the pain I endured with his company."

Gaara looked down at his hand resting across his chest like it could stop an invisible wound from healing. "I'm here because of Naruto. I don't know what all happened but the fact that you are still in control is worrying too many people. There is no one like Naruto. His words bring people together despite what pain they have caused him. No one has ever understood me. People judge me and decide who I am before ever meeting me. Naruto was the first kind and honest person I have ever met." Looking up, "Why are you still in control? What are you protecting Naruto from?"

"Sometimes the world is too painful for even Naruto to face. While he understands your pain, I do not believe you understand his. I am nine times stronger than your beast. The strain on his body is unimaginable. While he is open to everyone, he takes their pain onto himself and relies on no one. The smiles and jokes keep him sane but they do not stop the pain. I am still in control to give Naruto time away from that pain. I know I am still hurting him, but it is less than the world around him." Kurama had not stopped studying Gaara. "Can you bear his pain?"

Looking straight into the beast's eyes Gaara replied, "I can try."

Kurama closed his eyes. The red chakra slowly sunk back into Naruto's skin. His whole body was raw; his clothes were torn and bloody. Gaara watched the last of the chakra fade away, leaving Naruto panting heavily on his hands and knees. Naruto waited as a fine layer of new skin grew over his body before he sat back on his heels. Opening his eyes, Naruto looked at his friend questioningly.

"Gaara? I don't remember…" A scared and lost expression passed over Naruto's face as he looked around the cave.

"It's okay." Gaara sat next to him, pulling out his bedroll and setting it up for Naruto. "Just lie down and rest. I'll look out for you."

Naruto did as instructed but couldn't help asking, "Did I hurt anyone?" Gaara laid a blanket gently over Naruto's sensitive skin. "Nothing that couldn't be healed easily. Besides, you got the bad guy and saved the day. Now it's my turn to look out for you. So close your eyes and rest." Luckily Naruto did just that.

Sighing, Gaara brushed some stray hair away from Naruto's face. "I'll protect you to my last breath. I promise."


End file.
